Can a leopard change its spots?

As I sit here wrapping up my first quarter of grad school at Bainbridge Graduate Institute, I’m almost at a loss for works.  I’m having difficulty putting my thoughts down because my head feels like a tornado has been unleashed and my thoughts are flying around waiting to land at the first sign of peace.  This quarter has taken me on many journeys and I’m proud to say that I finished this quarter with a new outlook on life.  My expectations for the quarter have been far surpassed and the inspiration I’m feeling has become contagious.  I’ve surrendered to the unique experience that is BGI and I am committed to making this experience more than just getting a master’s degree.  

So what has me so jazzed? One of the core principles BGI embodies is the need for change. I've always been an advocate for change and I've always felt this world could be better if change was more readily accepted.  Despite the stereotypes around my chosen professions, I thrive in change.  I love the feeling of trying something new or challenging the habits and beliefs we hold as sacred.  Why do so many people struggle with change even when it’s desperately needed? To me it all comes down to the desired feeling of security.  There’s a fear of the unknown when it comes to change and that puts people outside of their comfort zone.  BGI has taught me to be comfortable with the ambiguity that change can sometimes create.  Sacrificing the desire to always feel secure is a small expense in making this world a better place.  

The beauty of each BGI intensive is the opportunity for multiple types of learning.  One of my favorite parts of the intensives is the Change Agent in Residence (CAIRs) talks.  The personal stories, heartfelt passion and knowledge these individuals impart on us in amazing.  Michael Kanter taught me that staying true to your core values is an invaluable asset.  Steve Butcher showed me that for-profit businesses can have compassion as a mission.  Mirran Raphael reminded me mentorship is incredibly powerful and a lifelong journey.  Jeff Mendelsohn encouraged me to live in a world of possibilities and not one of limitations.  Seeing change in action and hearing of its success creates an environment in which we are set up for nothing but success.  

This quarter has opened my eyes and made me see what assumptions I've made about the business world.  I wasn't expecting to be so inspired by all the negativity that our current economic system has created.  I know that sounds a bit bizarre but I feel like a fire has been lit under me.  For a while I've felt a bit of hopelessness about the world we've been living in but I failed to be able to put words to it.  Through the readings, videos, and lectures I've been partaking in, I now have a voice for these feelings.  This world is destined for change and to be part of this paradigm shift we so desperately need is an opportunity I feel nothing but gratitude towards.  This hopelessness is no longer feeling as such but feeling more like empowerment instead. 

Another key learning opportunity for me this quarter was the work with the Chicken Sweaters on our group project.  Working with Julia, Liz, Maren and Brittany has taught me to value those tough moments and difficult conversations that need to be had.  The process of team work is just as valuable as the product that is created.   The complexity and dynamics of human relationships are fundamental to understanding our potential within this world and enacting change.  BGI enables us to co-create an educational process that will keep us on a path of lifelong learning and having the skills to work in teams is essential.  

I have a deep appreciation for BGI and how it forces me to reflect.  I don’t often reflect on my actions, learnings and experiences and I've really come to value the opportunities for it.  Working with faculty, guest speakers and my cohort is a transformational process and it’s important to me to get the most out of this experience.  Our cohort is amazing and when I think of the possibilities ahead of us all, I can't help but be excited.  We have several CAIRS with in our group already and the passion we all share for changing this world is nothing short of inspirational.  They say a leopard cannot change its spots but are we sure?   

The Song of the Grasshopper

money

noun, often attributive \ˈmə-nē\
: something (such as coins or bills) used as a way to pay for goods and services and to pay people for their work

“Today we associate money with the profane, and for good reason. If anything is sacred in this world, it is surely not money. Money seems to be the enemy of our better instincts, as is clear every time the thought “I can’t afford to” blocks an impulse toward kindness or generosity. Money seems to be the enemy of beauty, as the disparaging term “a sellout” demonstrates. Money seems to be the enemy of every worthy social and political reform, as corporate power steers legislation toward the aggrandizement of its own profits. Money seems to be destroying the earth, as we pillage the oceans, the forests, the soil, and every species to feed a greed that knows no end.” –Charles Eisenstein, Sacred Economics

 

It’s no surprise that as a CPA and a Banker, my life is riddled with money.  I measure it, report on it, forecast it, budget it, and spend it.  Yield curves, present values, bond prices, and interest rates rule my world.  What do all these things really mean?  Why do we value money the way they do? How do our views and assumptions of money affect our behaviors? These questions and more have been flowing through my mind a lot lately.  My BGI experience has given me a new outlook on the meaning and purpose of money and I dare say a rug has been pulled out from underneath me.   

I recently was tasked with reading a powerful book, Sacred Economics by Charles Eisenstein, which traced the history of money from ancient economies to modern day capitalism.  Money has had a profound impact on our civilization and shaped us in more negative ways then we care to admit.Reading this book left me feeling depressed but hopeful for the future.  Without fundamentally changing our assumptions around money and the pedestal we place money on, economic turmoil is bound to happen again.  

One of the most profound points within this book, and one that I've also heard from many of my classmates, is the idea of bringing back gifting and bartering.  When you give a gift with no strings attached or trade goods and services, trust within our fellow human beings flourishes.  This trust binds communities and strengthens relationships.  Einstein states that “Community is not some add-on to our other needs, not a separate ingredient for happiness along with food, shelter, music, touch, intellectual stimulation and other forms of physical and spiritual nourishment.  Community arises from the meeting of these needs.”  Why is it that each house in our neighborhood owns a lawn mower that is only used for 10 hours each summer?  Why has it become so normal to value the goods we purchase just as much (if not more than) as the relationships we value?  We've become a society that focuses more and more on our individual needs and not the needs of our communities.  Imagine a world where community evolves naturally from our actions and supports and values its members equally.  Imagine the feelings you have when you spend time with loved ones during the holidays and the joy you feel from their care, love and support.  What if you could feel that more often?

Trust is the crux of our relationships with friends, family, doctors, co-workers, political leaders and everyone we interact with.  Without trust the true purpose of relationships ceases to exist and we truly can’t get to where we’re trying to go.   An absence of trust creates dysfunction and enables an environment in which productivity and happiness cannot prosper.  No matter how you slice it, trust plays a fundamental role within our lives and money can damage that trust.    

The great thing about Eisenstein’s book was that he makes suggestions for alternative practices that will “fix” our broken economy, help to redeploy the community spirit and invigorate the respect that is needed for the well-being of our planet.   Although some of the concepts were hard to wrap my head around, such as negative-interest, I was truly inspired by his ideas.   He helped me to envision a different type of economy where life is a bit more simplistic and relationships are more meaningful and less superficial.

The underlying theme of Sacred Economics is very similar to other articles, videos and books I've been exposed to at BGI.  My eyes and ears are awaiting more.  I have a new view of the negative effects our money system has and seeing things more in this light has given me clarity I wouldn't have expected.  This student grasshopper is changing and the chirps I make will be much more meaningful going forward.